14.12.15

Not everybody has a taste for water, but we all need it to ensure that our bodies continue functioning properly. If you want to drink more water, but aren't crazy about the taste (or lack thereof), here are some tips that can make it more enjoyable:

1. Add fresh fruit. Citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and oranges, are classic water enhancers, but other fruit flavors might also tempt your taste buds. Try crushing fresh raspberries or watermelon into your water, or adding strawberry slices. Cucumber and fresh mint are refreshing flavors as well — especially in summer.

2. Use juice. Any fruit juice can be a good base flavor for water, but tart juices, like cranberry, pomegranate, grape, and apple, are especially delicious. Go for juices that are all natural, with no added sugars. And remember: Fruits and their juices don't just taste good — they contain vitamins and antioxidants that can benefit your health too.

Meet the writers and editors who contribute stories, slideshows, and other content to Everyday Health.

Jennifer Acosta Scott:Jennifer Acosta Scott is a writer for Healthday. She resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with her husband, Mark, and two sons, Patrick and Hayden. A native of the Mobile, Ala. area, she attended the University of Alabama's College of Communications and Information Sciences in Tuscaloosa, graduating with a major in journalism and a minor in history. Her career began in newspapers, and she has previously worked as a news reporter for the Tuscaloosa News, the Phenix (Ala.) Citizen and the Weatherford (TX) Democrat, covering health, environment and local government. Acosta Scott's work has also been published in outlets like Health, Bankrate, Society Life, The Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is also the publisher of a popular Dallas-Fort Worth area blog, Fort Worth on the Cheap, and a running blog, Little Blue Sneakers.

As a long-time yoga enthusiast, I’m always happy to hear about benefits newly attributed to this
ancient practice. Doing yoga for a few hours each week helps me feel calmer and more balanced,
both physically and mentally. Now, new research suggests that my habit also may be helping my heart.

A recent review of yoga and cardiovascular disease published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology indicates that yoga may help lower heart disease risk as much as conventional exercise, such as brisk walking.

As I write in the April issue of the Harvard Heart Letter, the studies in the review looked at different types of yoga, including both gentler and more energetic forms. The participants ranged

Posted December 17, 2014, 2:54 pm Updated October 29, 2015, 8:24 pm
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Senior Couple Relaxing In Autumn Landscape
I just celebrated a birthday, and not the kind women like to crow about. Let’s just say I’m mid-century modern. But I feel as young and as vibrant as ever. I have energy, a zest for life, and a real sense of purpose. And it turns out that this youthful feeling may pay off big-time. A research letter in this week’s JAMA Internal Medicine found that older people who felt three or more years younger than their actual (chronological) age had a lower death rate compared with those who felt their age or those who felt more than one year older than their actual age.

You’re as young as you feel
Two researchers at University College London looked at the responses of about 6,500 men and women who answered the question, “How old do you feel you are?”

12.12.15

The condom section at your local drugstore can be overwhelming (understatement of the year, we know). With so many colors, sizes, and shapes, where do you even begin?! The good news is, when it comes down to it, you can’t really go wrong. “The best condom on the market is one that you use,”

says Lauren Streicher, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University, and author of Sex Rx: Hormones, Health and Your Best Sex Ever ($14; amazon.com). She stresses any time there’s skin-to-skin contact during sex (oral, genital, anal, etc.), you should use a condom to prevent STDs. And of course, when used correctly, they protect against pregnancy 98% of the time. But when the time comes to select your type of rubber, don’t stress too much—it’s all about preference. Here’s the lowdown on the nine types of condoms you’ll find on store shelves.

The numbers, quite frankly, are grim: Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in America and the fourth leading cause of cancer death globally. And even if the colon cancer is not fatal, it can lead to radiation or chemotherapy as well as surgical removal of the colon and

the placement of a colostomy bag, which can seriously impact the quality of life for these cancer survivors. That is why so much research in recent years has gone into discovering ways that this cancer can be prevented in the first place. It has long been suspected that a typical American diet – with its reliance on meat and starches – can raise the risk of colon cancer development. And this new study illustrates clearly how important the link between diet and this disease really is.

Intriguing new research

This elegantly done study was a collaborative effort between researchers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and those in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The researchers chose 20 African-American men and women in Pittsburgh and 20 men and women of African descent living in KwaZulu-Natal to participate in this study that looked at the link between diet

11.12.15

Fans of 50 Shades of Grey will remember the much talked-about tampon scene—and while that particular romp won’t be playing out on the big screen, it’s still been making headlines as buzz about the upcoming movie reaches a fever pitch. And it may make people wonder: Should I be having sex on my period? Is it safe? Will I like it? (And will my partner?)

We talked with Tara Ford, a physician assistant at the Medical Center for Female Sexuality in Purchase, New York, to get those answers and more.

Here’s what you should know about having sex during menstruation—the good, the bad, and the slightly messy.Doctors say go for it

“If the patient is comfortable with it, then it’s great to continue having sex throughout the month and not have to take a break,” says Ford. “It’s perfectly natural and safe for both partners.”

A day at the spa should leave you feeling healthy, relaxed, and rejuvenated. But some beauty or (so-called) wellness treatments probably aren’t worth your money—and some could even be harmful. Medi-spas made headlines in October for an extreme case after a Nevada woman died in a cryotherapy chamber, but the reality is there are other potential dangers lurking in this largely unregulated industry.

“There are a lot of mistruths and strange beliefs out there about what’s good for you when you go to a spa,” says Leena Nathan, MD, a physician in the UCLA Health system. “It’s important to remember that just because a service is offered, that doesn’t mean it’s safe or effective.” Before you pamper yourself this holiday season, read up on these treatments you may be better off without.Skip it: Cryotherapy

The act of exposing parts of the body to freezing temperatures can actually be safe and beneficial, Dr. Nathan says; it’s used to remove warts and destroy cancer cells, and some athletes even say it improves muscle recovery.